Then, a devastating pandemic hit the world and everyone’s soon-to-be least favorite word hit the air over and over again: unprecedented. It threw us all in a fix at first and, for a brief while, we waited for a return to normalcy. In time it became clear that all of those plans we had made would need to pivot and evolve – but now was not the time to pull back. As the impact of COVID-19 spread and the inequalities of our world served only to exacerbate its impact, our team challenged one another to think differently about how we were best served to support our ecosystem of partners and to execute our portfolio of programs.

Our response? Hold fast to our strategy and our mission, stay true, and renew our commitment to powering opportunity through digital inclusion. The COVID-19 crisis is multidimensional and discriminatory in many ways. It is also a very real and very deep education crisis, and with extreme poverty on the rise for the first time in two decades, it will continue to influence vulnerable populations for years to come.

The naivety of early 2020 gave way to necessity which, in time, gave way to enthusiastic transformation. Together with our partners, we quickly adapted program content and execution for virtual environments, , and expanded our view of how to best engage SAP’s employee base.

Our is a collection of spotlights and stories that we share with pride in celebration of the impact we were able to achieve in the year that was. It is our celebration of the 8.3 million lives impacted through our investments and the over 130,000 hours dedicated by more than 20,000 51ˇçÁ÷employees.

It was mutual trust and shared conviction around social impact that enabled this journey, and we are exceedingly proud of our entire CSR community and the role they played. To all of our partners, volunteer leaders, and every employee who lent their time and talents as a volunteer or opened themselves up to learning during an October Month of Service virtual session: You were instrumental in helping us adapt our work and redefine success. Your continued dedication, perseverance, and passion inspired us.

Our is dedicated to you. Thank you for making our work possible.

With 2020 behind us, we are forging ahead into the new year and into our renewed commitment to power opportunity through digital inclusion. In the coming months, we hope to bring our ecosystem together through hosting virtual forums for our partners. Our goal is to bolster and strengthen the network of incredible change-makers and impact-drivers that we are lucky enough to work with around the world and sketch a path forward together.

Alexandra van der Ploeg is head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP.

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷Global News Center.

The post Renewing Our Commitment to Power Opportunity Through Digital Inclusion appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

At the current rate of change, to achieve gender parity, an unacceptable timeline in today’s modern world. Increasing women’s participation in the labor market will play a large role in achieving gender parity, and it will not only lead to more , more companies, but on a global scale it could add up to — or 26% — to the global GDP. The math is simple and we cannot afford to continue to overlook half the population, especially in the field of data science, one of the .

Amid the current pandemic, women are facing even more barriers in the workforce as they manage their professional lives while taking care of the children and overseeing many of the household duties. At SAP, we recognize the value of in the workforce, especially women in technology, where historically, women face underrepresentation. One of the fields where this is particularly prominent is data science: only . This staggering statistic inspired 51ˇçÁ÷to become a trusted collaborator and sponsor of Stanford University’s (WiDS) initiative since 2016.

Women in Data Science

As a technology company that employs data scientists worldwide, we want to address why few women are embarking on careers in data science and why few women are advancing into data science leadership roles. Despite the value of a technology skill set, studies on the future of work show the increasing demand for among employers. Studies show than men when it comes to emotional intelligence, reinforcing the need to foster female leaders across every industry, including data science. At SAP, we strongly support the WiDS mission “to inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field.”

“Data science is becoming ever more critical in the world as data-driven decision-making has penetrated many parts of our society,” said Margot Gerritsen, professor at Stanford University and co-director of WiDS.  “As our reliance on data and investments in this field continue to increase, it is critical that women, and people from all genders, have a clear seat at the decision table and share in the wealth creation, all around the globe. Through our conferences, workshops, datathon, podcasts, and education initiatives, we hope to expand the role of women and accelerate their representation in the field.”

The WiDS Worldwide Conference, spearheaded by Stanford University, kicks off on International Women’s Day, March 8. The event will follow the sun, spotlighting incredible female data scientists working on innovative technology across business, academia, government, and nonprofits.

“It is great to see how many amazing and inspiring women this event brings together from all over the world. Female role models are crucial in fostering female leadership in the field of data science. They show the next generation what is possible to achieve, and that is very powerful,” shared Dr. Katharina Schäfer, global head of 51ˇçÁ÷University Alliances. “I’m excited to see Karina Edmonds, a globally recognized visionary leader in the field of innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization, represent 51ˇçÁ÷at the WiDS Worldwide Conference, where she will share how data science education can effectively empower future leaders to tackle big global and environmental challenges.”

On the sideline of the global event, 51ˇçÁ÷will host a regional event in New York City that will take place virtually, bringing together data-driven business professionals, students, and aspiring data scientists to explore “.”

The NYC regional event will kick off a “WiDS @ SAP” regional series on that will run throughout the course of the year. This series will include virtual events based in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.  The worldwide and regional events will feature prominent 51ˇçÁ÷data scientists, including Dr. Fei-Yu Xu, global head of Artificial Intelligence in Innovation; Dr. Susanne Beckers, head of Infused Intelligence in Intelligent Data and Analytics; and Dr. Sarah Detzler, competence lead for Data Science and Machine Learning in Technical Presales.

Diversity and Inclusion at SAP

To embed diversity and inclusion even further into the culture of SAP, we are committed to ensuring that our workforce better reflects the diversity of society and the customers we serve. We also aim to increase the number of women in leadership roles to 30% by 2022. Women currently make up 43% of the Intelligent Data & Analytics team at 51ˇçÁ÷and 26% of its leadership team, with an increasing trend over the last 12 months. This sets a strong example for the company and reinforces the trajectory toward a more representative workforce.

“Each hire we make at SAP, from our working students and interns, to our early talents, to our professionals and executives, needs to embody curiosity and compassion,” said Jenn Prevoznik, global leader, Early Career Talent Attraction, SAP. “Hiring managers and recruiters look for candidates’ ability to code. As a technology company, many of our open roles target individuals with a technology skill set. We value our partnership with WiDS and actively leverage the events to attract and hire top talent to SAP. I challenge all managers to make every day International Women’s Day and be intentional about who you hire. In recruiting, we invest heavily in increasing the number of women and underrepresented groups in the pipeline. We need all hands on deck to move the needle.”

Join WiDS @ SAP

Register for the on March 8 and the regional events happening throughout the year as we #ChoosetoChallenge the status quo and discover ways to foster female leaders in data science.

Christian Hecker is global vice president and chief data and analytics officer at SAP. Dr. Karina Edmonds is vice president and global head of 51ˇçÁ÷Academies and 51ˇçÁ÷University Alliances.

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷Global News Center.

The post A More Equal World: Fostering Female Leaders in Data Science appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

From sending cookies to coronavirus first responders and truckers on the road to printing 3D face masks and earning cybersecurity badges, the latest generation of Girl Scouts is all-in for the next phase of the organization’s digital journey.

In an , Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, described how Girl Scouts have come together and become even stronger in applying technology and leadership development to fulfill the .

Here are highlights from Acevedo’s digital broadcast with Paula Hansen, chief revenue officer for 51ˇçÁ÷Customer Experience.

Adapting Quickly to Innovate Cookie Sales

After hearing about Acevedo’s extensive STEM background — which included work as a rocket scientist at NASA and positions as a technology executive and entrepreneur — it is easy to understand how she has channeled her passion for space, science, and math into valuable skill-building for girls. For example, in response to the pandemic, Girl Scouts brought its entire cookie sales operation online in just nine days.

“The iconic cookie program teaches amazing business skills, but you have to adapt to the way people work and live,” Acevedo said. “So that girls would be safe, we stopped all in-person cookie sales and pivoted to put in an entire online system together with partners using 51ˇçÁ÷software so that we could enable girls to sell their cookies all over the country. We called it ‘Girl Scouts Cookie Care.’”

Cybersecurity is Top Digital Priority

Girl Scouts has gone more digital, offering a host of program activities that revolve around STEM, entrepreneurship, the outdoors, and leadership. The initiative is called Girl Scouts at Home, but the objective is to open up a world of civic-minded leadership to girls who are eager to keep learning. With the spread of COVID-19 and subsequent focus on all things virtual, cybersecurity recently became a priority.

“We had almost 8,000 cybersecurity badges earned in March, so that tells us our programs are relevant and girls see real use of it,” Acevedo said. “One girl wrote to me saying that based on what she learned in our cybersecurity program, she immediately called her grandmother [who] had been frauded. She made sure that her grandmother put all the protections on her Wi-Fi system, computer, and phone so she wouldn’t be frauded again.”

Digital with a Human Touch

Going virtual has also helped bolster community spirit. Online troop meetings have increased because girls want to stay in touch with friends more, whether they’re creating tens of thousands of face masks — one troop is using 3D printing to churn these out­ — or going outside for shared constellation learning experiences.

“Girls are figuring out how they can still use their skills to make the world a better place,” she said. “They can still earn their space science badges, and it’s also a great way to connect with other girls.”

Encouraging Girls to Pursue STEM Careers

Chief among Acevedo’s goals was helping girls understand they were not just tech users, but also could be tech creators, designers, and inventors. Girl Scouts flipped STEM programming that has been historically designed to meet boy’s interests to meet the interests of girls today. Last year, Girl Scouts earned over 1 million STEM badges and 128,000 cybersecurity badges. Acevedo was particularly proud of how Girl Scouts as young as middle schoolers were developing Faraday shields to foil would-be car thieves.

“We redesigned the badges around what a girl is familiar with and interested in,” Acevedo explained. “Once they’re familiar with it, they’re interested. Once they’re interested, they’re confident. And once they’re confident, they’re competent. People ask, ‘How do you teach brownies, who are seven- and eight-year-old girls, protocols, networks, and malware?’ We meet them where they are.”

Building the Future Workforce

Acevedo said Girl Scouts is leading the largest national effort in the U.S. to teach girls 21st century skills. Gender equity is a major objective, reflected in the organization’s Fair Play, Equal Pay initiative that helps build a better future for girls in collaboration with companies like SAP.

“51ˇçÁ÷was our very first partner in this,” she said. “It’s a signal to the 1.6 million girls in our organization that 51ˇçÁ÷is the kind of place they want to go work at. And, the kind of STEM experiences we’re developing are a great match for 51ˇçÁ÷because they have the workforce skills that are very much needed. I’m grateful for the leadership of 51ˇçÁ÷and what that says to their employees and the rising generation.”

One thing that has not changed is the taste of those delicious Girl Scout cookies. Thanks to the organization’s latest digital transformation, customers can stock up before the end of cookie season with just a few clicks. Enjoy!

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷News Center.

The post SAPPHIRE NOW Unplugged: Girl Scouts Innovate Iconic Cookie Sales and More for Digital World appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.